Gu Ying said calmly, "I want someone to examine Huo Qiyan's body."
Cheng was shocked, her lips opening and closing swiftly, having to admire Gu Ying's courage for daring to slander Zhao Rou's only daughter right in front of her.
"Gu Ying, you—" Zhao Rou said indignantly, "How dare you insult my daughter like this? Du, you're not saying anything either, just letting an outsider bully your sister!"
Zhao Rou was angry, so her brother Zhao Hui naturally did not say much. The atmosphere in the study froze for a moment.
After all, examining a young lady's body, no matter if she turns out to be chaste or not, is an extreme humiliation.
Huo Qiyan's lips tightened, and the hatred in her eyes for Gu Ying deepened.
Gu Ying showed no fear, a calm smile constantly on her face.
Zhao Changdu gave a cold laugh, terrifying anger gathering on his sharp, distinguished face, "I said I didn't touch her, also, Ying is not an outsider."
Zhao Rou choked, "You said you didn't touch her, so where did these marks on Qiyan's body come from?"
Huo Qiyan looked at her with watery eyes.
Zhao Changdu furrowed his brows irritably, his eyes darkening slightly, his tone icy cold, "Since Aunt is so stubborn about this, then as Ying suggested, get two experienced midwives who are registered to examine her body."
Having listened for a while, Gu Ying already understood what had happened and naturally knew what Huo Qiyan was up to. No matter if Du had touched her or not, as long as Qiyan pretended today to confirm what happened, Du as a man would have no way to defend himself and could only swallow this insult and marry her into Changfeng Pavilion.
It was a pity that she had met Zhao Changdu instead of another man.
Seeing the displeasure and irritation on the Prince's face, she also revealed an appropriate, gracious smile, "As long as it is proven that sister Qiyan has lost her purity, I will take charge and marry her into the household on behalf of the Prince."
Her words fell, and everyone in the room reacted differently.
Zhao Changdu slightly turned his handsome face and looked at the smiling girl by his side, his gaze turning icy cold inch by inch.
Gu Ying did not notice the man's displeasure. She already had a foolproof idea in her heart to get rid of Huo Qiyan once and for all, eliminating any lingering trouble.
She signaled to Yin Lan, and Yin Lan quietly withdrew.
The tense atmosphere in the study persisted for a long time. Huo Qiyan refused to be examined, Gu Ying refused to back down and marry her, and the Prince certainly would not take her as a concubine.
Huo Qiyan cried and shrieked again, hugging a pillar, threatening to smash her head in front of everyone.
The servant girls and midwives scrambled over to grab her. Zhao Rou tearfully pleaded with her, Cheng tried to persuade both Huo Qiyan and Gu Ying. The room was in chaos, simply unbecoming of a prestigious household honored for hundreds of years.
Seeing the coldness and impatience in the Prince's eyes, Gu Ying reached out and grabbed his arm, shaking her head. Then she stood up.
"Everyone let go of sister Qiyan. I can prove that the Prince has never touched her."
The noisy crying and shouting stopped abruptly, and all eyes turned to look at her.
Gu Ying calmly said, "This afternoon, sister Qiyan sent someone to deliver a box of red bean cakes to Changfeng Pavilion because I have to be more careful with food due to my pregnancy. So I had Yin Lan take the cakes to a doctor for inspection. Yin Lan has just returned with the cakes."
She turned to Yin Lan who had entered the study holding the food box, "Yin Lan, tell everyone what the doctor said."
Yin Lan put the box on the small table and opened it to reveal several red bean cakes inside. She said gravely, "The doctor said this food contains miscarriage-inducing medicine."
The room fell awkwardly silent at this.
Huo Qiyan angrily retorted, "I didn't! I didn't send you any red bean cakes at all!"
Gu Ying pointed at the box with the cakes, "Fuhua Pavilion's container, Fuhua Pavilion's platter, what more does sister Qiyan have to argue?"
Huo Qiyan panicked, especially when she met Zhao Changdu's gloomy, bone-chilling gaze. She trembled uncontrollably and collapsed into Zhao Rou's arms, "I don't know where you got Fuhua Pavilion's container and platter, but I didn't...I really didn't. She's framing me. Mother, she's falsely accusing me!"
Zhao Rou's face darkened as she held Huo Qiyan, "Gu Ying, what exactly are you plotting? We're not talking about miscarriage medicine now. We're talking about Du's responsibility to Qiyan."
Gu Ying neither humble nor pushy, said, "Aunt, please see clearly. When I first came in, I noticed an empty teacup in father's study."
She picked up the teacup by the Prince's hand and sniffed it, "There is a smell of polygonum multiflorum in here. Plus none of the maids from Moyun Pavilion were here to serve this afternoon, only Qiyan who never comes to father's study made a special trip. Ying boldly deduces that this aphrodisiac was carefully planned and administered by Qiyan to the Prince. If she could drug the Prince with an aphrodisiac, why wouldn't she give me abortion medicine?"
She smiled again, "After all, neither are substantiated claims. I said she administered drugs, Aunt said she didn't. Arguing like this for ten days or half a month will get us nowhere."
Before Zhao Rou could retort, she turned her head and looked at the Prince gently, "Du, since sister Qiyan has already committed two major offenses in the Duke's estate, and Aunt stubbornly presses the issue, why don't we just throw away our reputation and let Master Hai at the Kaifeng government office handle this? I believe when the time comes, the clear-sighted Master Hai will make his own judgment on whether or not sister Qiyan is chaste."
Zhao Changdu lifted his eyes and steadily watched the little girl standing by his side. His scalding breath swished up and down his throat. After a long pause, he slowly said, "Fine."
With the Prince's support, Gu Ying did not fear Zhao Rou's unreasonableness.
She immediately called for people, "Come, prepare the carriages and horses. I'm going personally to the Kaifeng government office to report this."
Zhao Rou was furious, nearly losing her ladylike composure. "No...you're not allowed to go!"
She tried to push Gu Ying.
Zhao Changdu's eyes dangerously narrowed. He pulled Gu Ying into his arms to avoid Zhao Rou's shoving.
Gu Ying said calmly, "I want someone to examine Huo Qiyan's body."
Cheng was shocked, her lips opening and closing swiftly, having to admire Gu Ying's courage for daring to slander Zhao Rou's only daughter right in front of her.
"Gu Ying, you—" Zhao Rou said indignantly, "How dare you insult my daughter like this? Du, you're not saying anything either, just letting an outsider bully your sister!"
Zhao Rou was angry, so her brother Zhao Hui naturally did not say much. The atmosphere in the study froze for a moment.
After all, examining a young lady's body, no matter if she turns out to be chaste or not, is an extreme humiliation.
Huo Qiyan's lips tightened, and the hatred in her eyes for Gu Ying deepened.
Gu Ying showed no fear, a calm smile constantly on her face.
Zhao Changdu gave a cold laugh, terrifying anger gathering on his sharp, distinguished face, "I said I didn't touch her, also, Ying is not an outsider."
Zhao Rou choked, "You said you didn't touch her, so where did these marks on Qiyan's body come from?"
Huo Qiyan looked at her with watery eyes.
Zhao Changdu furrowed his brows irritably, his eyes darkening slightly, his tone icy cold, "Since Aunt is so stubborn about this, then as Ying suggested, get two experienced midwives who are registered to examine her body."
Having listened for a while, Gu Ying already understood what had happened and naturally knew what Huo Qiyan was up to. No matter if Du had touched her or not, as long as Qiyan pretended today to confirm what happened, Du as a man would have no way to defend himself and could only swallow this insult and marry her into Changfeng Pavilion.
It was a pity that she had met Zhao Changdu instead of another man.
Seeing the displeasure and irritation on the Prince's face, she also revealed an appropriate, gracious smile, "As long as it is proven that sister Qiyan has lost her purity, I will take charge and marry her into the household on behalf of the Prince."
Her words fell, and everyone in the room reacted differently.
Zhao Changdu slightly turned his handsome face and looked at the smiling girl by his side, his gaze turning icy cold inch by inch.
Gu Ying did not notice the man's displeasure. She already had a foolproof idea in her heart to get rid of Huo Qiyan once and for all, eliminating any lingering trouble.
She signaled to Yin Lan, and Yin Lan quietly withdrew.
The tense atmosphere in the study persisted for a long time. Huo Qiyan refused to be examined, Gu Ying refused to back down and marry her, and the Prince certainly would not take her as a concubine.
Huo Qiyan cried and shrieked again, hugging a pillar, threatening to smash her head in front of everyone.
The servant girls and midwives scrambled over to grab her. Zhao Rou tearfully pleaded with her, Cheng tried to persuade both Huo Qiyan and Gu Ying. The room was in chaos, simply unbecoming of a prestigious household honored for hundreds of years.
Seeing the coldness and impatience in the Prince's eyes, Gu Ying reached out and grabbed his arm, shaking her head. Then she stood up.
"Everyone let go of sister Qiyan. I can prove that the Prince has never touched her."
The noisy crying and shouting stopped abruptly, and all eyes turned to look at her.
Gu Ying calmly said, "This afternoon, sister Qiyan sent someone to deliver a box of red bean cakes to Changfeng Pavilion because I have to be more careful with food due to my pregnancy. So I had Yin Lan take the cakes to a doctor for inspection. Yin Lan has just returned with the cakes."
She turned to Yin Lan who had entered the study holding the food box, "Yin Lan, tell everyone what the doctor said."
Yin Lan put the box on the small table and opened it to reveal several red bean cakes inside. She said gravely, "The doctor said this food contains miscarriage-inducing medicine."
The room fell awkwardly silent at this.
Huo Qiyan angrily retorted, "I didn't! I didn't send you any red bean cakes at all!"
Gu Ying pointed at the box with the cakes, "Fuhua Pavilion's container, Fuhua Pavilion's platter, what more does sister Qiyan have to argue?"
Huo Qiyan panicked, especially when she met Zhao Changdu's gloomy, bone-chilling gaze. She trembled uncontrollably and collapsed into Zhao Rou's arms, "I don't know where you got Fuhua Pavilion's container and platter, but I didn't...I really didn't. She's framing me. Mother, she's falsely accusing me!"
Zhao Rou's face darkened as she held Huo Qiyan, "Gu Ying, what exactly are you plotting? We're not talking about miscarriage medicine now. We're talking about Du's responsibility to Qiyan."
Gu Ying neither humble nor pushy, said, "Aunt, please see clearly. When I first came in, I noticed an empty teacup in father's study."
She picked up the teacup by the Prince's hand and sniffed it, "There is a smell of polygonum multiflorum in here. Plus none of the maids from Moyun Pavilion were here to serve this afternoon, only Qiyan who never comes to father's study made a special trip. Ying boldly deduces that this aphrodisiac was carefully planned and administered by Qiyan to the Prince. If she could drug the Prince with an aphrodisiac, why wouldn't she give me abortion medicine?"
She smiled again, "After all, neither are substantiated claims. I said she administered drugs, Aunt said she didn't. Arguing like this for ten days or half a month will get us nowhere."
Before Zhao Rou could retort, she turned her head and looked at the Prince gently, "Du, since sister Qiyan has already committed two major offenses in the Duke's estate, and Aunt stubbornly presses the issue, why don't we just throw away our reputation and let Master Hai at the Kaifeng government office handle this? I believe when the time comes, the clear-sighted Master Hai will make his own judgment on whether or not sister Qiyan is chaste."
Zhao Changdu lifted his eyes and steadily watched the little girl standing by his side. His scalding breath swished up and down his throat. After a long pause, he slowly said, "Fine."
With the Prince's support, Gu Ying did not fear Zhao Rou's unreasonableness.
She immediately called for people, "Come, prepare the carriages and horses. I'm going personally to the Kaifeng government office to report this."
Zhao Rou was furious, nearly losing her ladylike composure. "No...you're not allowed to go!"
She tried to push Gu Ying.
Zhao Changdu's eyes dangerously narrowed. He pulled Gu Ying into his arms to avoid Zhao Rou's shoving.
